Pallet gate assembly



Aug. 17, 1954 M. H. M MILLAN PALLET GATE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10 1951 INVENTOR MAm-m H.M M\LLAN ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 17, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PALLET GATE ASSEMBLY Martin H. McMillan, Vallejo, Calif.

Application August 10, 1951, Serial No. 241,191

2 Claims. (01. 248-120) This invention relates to material handling devices, and more particularly to portable load carrying racks or pallets.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved portable load carrying rack 01' pallet which is simple in construction, which is easy to handle, and which increases the material load capacity of a pallet of given area considerably as over the pallet in use in the prior art.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved portable load carrying rack which may be readily folded to a compact condition for transportation or storage when not in use, which is sturdy in construction, and which is easy to set up in operative position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved load carrying rack constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown set up for use.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the load carrying rack of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure e is a cross sectional view taken on the line i d of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the end portion of the spacer bar employed to hold the end gates of the load carrying device of the present invention in upstanding spaced relationship.

Referring to the drawings, the improved pallet is designated generally at l i and comprises a base indicated at 52, the respective end gates l3, t3, the top spacer bar i 4 which interlockingly engages with the top ends of the gates It, IS, and the securing cable 95 which is connected at its ends to the end portions of the base i2 and which is arranged to be clampingly disposed longitudinally over the spacer bar 54, as will be presently described.

The base i2 comprises the respective transverse cross bars it to the bottom surfaces of which are secured the longitudinal bars ll and to the top surfaces of which are secured the longitudinal bars i-l, the bars it being in vertical alignment with the bars l'i'. Secured to the top surfaces of the end portions of the bottom longitudinal bars ll are the respective transverse cleats i9, t9, the cleats it being spaced from the end transverse bars it, as shown. Secured to the top surfaces of the upper longitudinal bars til at their respective and portions are the respective transverse cleats 29, it, the transverse cleats 20 being in 2 vertical alignment with the transverse cleats IS. The ends of the flexible cable is are secured to the intermediate portions of the respective upper transverse cleats 2t, 2t, as shown.

Each of the end gates it, it comprises a pair of longitudinal bars 2!, 2% connected by spaced cross bars 22, the bars 2i projecting downwardly with respect to the lowermost cross bar 22, as shown. The downwardly projecting ends of the longitudinal bars 2t, 25 are adapted to be engaged between the end portions of the respective longitudinal bars it of base it and to be engaged between the end cross cars it and the adjacent transverse cleats iii and it with the lowermost cross bars 22' resting on the top surfaces of the longitudinal bars ill, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. The spacing between the transverse cleats 2i! and i9 and the cross bars it is sufiicient to loosely receive the lower ends of the longitudinal bars iii of the end gates it.

The spacer bar it comprises a main, longitudinally extending member 23 substantially equal in length to the longitudinal bars it and ll of the base 52. Secured to the bottom surfaces of the bar 23 at its ends are the respective cleats 2d, 2d, and secured to the bottom surface of the bar 23 are respecive cleats 25, 25 spaced inwardly from the cleats 2d, M by sufficient distances to receive the top edges of the uppermost cross bars 22 of the respective end gates it, it in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 5, the cleats 2d are each secured to the bar .23 by a pair of bolts 25', 25. With the spacer bar is engaged on the top edges of the end gates l3, t3, the cable 55 is clampingly engageable on the spacer bar and is received between the respective pairs of bolts 25, 25' in the manner shown in Figure 1, whereby the heads or" the bolts 25 define stop means preventing the cable it: from becoming disengaged from the spacer bar and acting to maintain the top portion of the cable 55 longitudinally centered on the spacer bar 54.

When the pallet is assembled, as above described, the material to be carried thereon may be loaded on the base it between the end gates it, it and may be stacked to a height limited by the height of the spacer bar Hi. It will. therefore be apparent that the capacity of the pallet device it is substantially greater than the capacity of a pallet of corresponding base area not provided with end gates as in the pallet of the present invention.

When the pallet device is not in use, it may be folded to a relatively compact condition by disengaging the cable 55 from the spacer bar M,

removing the spacer bar and allowing the end gates l3, 13 to be lowered onto the base l2, as shown in dotted view in Figure 2, whereby the components of the pallet device may be fastened to the base l2 and readily transported or stored during their period of disuse. When it is desired to set up the pallet device for use, it is merely necessary to engage the end gates 53, it on the end portions of the base 52, in the manner above described, to engage the spacer bar l4 on the top edges of the end gates, as above described, and then to engage the cable l5 on the spacer bar M in the manner shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3,

whereby the pallet device is ready for use. 7

While a specific embodiment of an improved portable load carrying rack device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claimsv What is claimed is:

1. In a pallet, a base comprising a plurality of longitudinal bars, a plurality of bottom cross bars secured to said longitudinal bars, and respective transverse cleats secured across the longitudinal bars outwardly adjacent respective bottom cross bars, respective end gates arranged to interlockingly engage on the base between the transverse cleats and the bottom cross bars adjacent thereto, each of said end gates comprising spaced'vertical members engageable between the longitudinal bars of the base and a plurality of spaced transverse members secured to the outside surfaces of the vertical members, a spacer bar,

respective pairs of spaced cleats secured to the bottom surface of the spacer bar at its respective end portions and arranged to receive therebetween the topends of the end gates and to maintain said gates in spaced upstanding relationship, and a flexible cable member connected at its ends to the respective transverse cleats on the base and arranged to be clampingly disposed longitudinally over said spacer bar to retain said spacer bar on the top edges of said end gates.

2. In a pallet, a base comprising a plurality of transverse cross bars, a plurality of longitudinal bars secured to the top and bottom surfaces of the transverse cross bars, respective transverse cleats secured to the top surfaces of the upper longitudinal bars outwardly adjacent the respective transverse cross bars,.and respective transverse cleats secured to the lower longitudinal bars in vertical alignment with the first mentioned transverse cleats, respective'end gates arranged to interlockingly engage on the base between said transverse cleats and the respective cross bars adjacent thereto, each of said end nally over said spacer bar to retain said spacer bar on the top edges of said end gates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 908,779 Landon an. 5, 1999 1,682,539 Sanford Aug. 28, 1928 2,353,017 Denton July 4, 1944 2,20,640 Acteson May 20, 1947 2,523,271 Bartel Sept. 26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 107,542 Great Britain July 5, 1917 636,440

Great Britain Apr. 26, i) 

